LG Optimus Net Review By 3G.co.uk

Cons: Small display; lack of onboard storage; user interface is not impressive

Verdict: The LG Optimus Net is a neat-sized Android device at a budget price. It has a good go at offering media and web facilities, but doesn’t excel at either

Full Review and Specification for the LG Optimus Net

We always think of Transformers when we hear about the LG Optimus range of phones – but while the Desire and Sensation live up to their impressive-sounding names – the neat, budget Optimus Net could probably have done with a different moniker. It doesn't sound terribly exciting – and in some ways it isn't – however it joins a growing band of decent budget-priced Android devices.

User interface tweaks

Android Gingerbread OS has had a bit of a facelift thanks to the Optimus 2.0 user interface, but it hasn't been changed so much that it doesn't still feel and look familiar. You can alter the ringtones and backgrounds as you see fit – and there are seven desktops to personalise as you like with a good choice of shortcuts to apps and widgets.

Toggles for Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi along with media controls have been added to the notifications bar – it’s a nifty addition, although notifications space has been squashed in half to make way for it, which is frustrating if you get a lot of emails and texts. What’s even more annoying is that you can put widgets on the desktop that achieve the same result, so it seems a bit pointless.

There is also a shortcut bar that is positioned at the bottom of the display – the shortcuts take you to apps, phonebook, dialler and texts – it’s a pity that it isn’t possible to change these; we’d have rather added a shortcut to emails than to the dialler, for instance. It is also possible to put folders onto any of your desktops.

Better by design

It may be small, but the LG Optimus Net still manages to feel substantial in the hand – it feels quite weighty. The Optimus Net may be a budget device but it still looks good – it has a brushed aluminium reverse and the buttons on its chin glow. It’s not exactly a showstopper but it looks okay.

Small screen

The phone’s small display can make it hard to see some complex websites easily, however pinch and zoom works well so you won’t have to squint too much. The screen is responsive, which makes it easy to navigate through websites. It is also possible to have multiple tabs running and to save bookmarks.

That screen is also too small to really make the most of films, but the Optimus Net is capable of streaming and playing video. The display is not that sharp but it is really vibrant. If you want to carry movies around, save photos or download apps, you’ll need to invest in a MicroSD card, though, as there is no built-in storage. It shouldn't cost too much – a 32GB card will cost less than £20 from Amazon or Play, for instance.

You won’t be able to watch Flash video though, although you can always download apps for BBC iPlayer from Google Play, if you want to catch your favourite TV programmes.

Surprisingly, emailing and texting was pretty simple – we thought the small screen would cause an issue, but we found it surprisingly accurate to type on the onscreen keyboard in portrait mode. Android’s auto-correct is as reliable as ever, if you do make a mistake.

Under the hood sits an 800MHz Qualcomm CPU, which helps the Optimus Net run pretty well, even when we used the latest apps or had multiple windows open. Battery life also proved impressive – thanks to that small screen, power does not drain quickly and we got a good 24 hours out of a fully charged battery.

Surprisingly for a budget device, NFC technology is included – good news if you think you’ll keep the phone for a couple of years, as the technology is set to become more widespread. GPS is also on-board, allowing you to easily track your location using Google Maps.

Surprising snapper

Another pleasant surprise came in the shape of the rear-facing snapper. It has a 3.15 mega-pixel lens, which produces reasonable photos for a budget device – they’re not as sharp as those on some of the modern smartphones, but they’re usable nonetheless. Autofocus is speedy, and there is an auto-lighting adjust facility that avoids overexposure. However, there’s no flash so you won’t be taking images in anything but decent lighting conditions.

Our conclusion

This is a neat, low-price Android device that has a good go at media and internet offerings – although it doesn't manage to exceed at either.